Deputy Leader of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald, told Newstalk Breakfast this morning: "I believe that the people that volunteered to the IRA were decent people."
Ms McDonald was speaking to Chris Donoghue about the latest Sunday Independent/Millward Brown poll which revealed that Sinn Féin are the most popular party, having overtaken Fine Gael who dropped three points to 22%, despite the Mairia Cahill controversy.
The increased support for Sinn Fein comes despite party leader Gerry Adam's disapproval rating increasing by 8%.
On the results, Ms McDonald stated that this displayed a disenchantment with the Government.
Sinn Féin can perhaps be grateful to their stance on water charges for the increase in support. In what was a historic turnout this weekend, an estimated 150,000 people took to the streets to protest against water charges at 90 separate demonstrations across the country. Sinn Féin were present at many of the demonstrations.
On Irish Water, she spoke about the families who simply can't pay: "The Sinn Féin position is not to tell people what to do in respect to this but to leave it to each family to make their own judgement on it.
"My concern is for the vast number of people who can't pay. I have taken a decision with my family as an act of solidarity to stand foursquare with families that simply can't pay."
"You cannot take blood from a stone."
Here is her interview in full:
